DAC question - is music streamer DAC better than mcintosh DA2?

Last year I tried approximately 10 different DAC’s. The DA2 held its own with all of them. Mine is built into a C8. I never had one glitch with the C8 which is more than I can say for all of the other un I tried. There’s something about having the units built by the same manufacturer. also McIntosh owns another DAC manufacture called Weiss, I understand that they are a well respected brand. One last thought, if you buy your unit without the DA2 The dealer can install one for $1500.

Wow, didn’t know Mac owned Weiss!

I now prefer my MA8950’s dac board over the Chord Qutest. The DA2 started to sound better after a few weeks of playing (burn in?) so I won’t go back to the Qutest. Using a Auralic Aries as a streamer.

I have had my MA12000 for 3 yrs now. My first dip into audio was the 70s/80s, hence always leaned towards separates.  I  went to several listening sessions of different amps/preamps and a few integrates before my purchase. One session I had the chance of comparing the McIntosh separates to their integrated MA12000 side-by-side…done deal. They really nailed it…the tube front side with the s.s. backend done in a proprietary pathway is excellent.
The MA12000 does everything well…some exceptionally well. You would be hard pressed to find a better preamp. More connectivity than anyone would every need too. It will drive most speakers easily; never gets warm. As more of an analog guy…I decided to add a phonostage even though the MM/MC sounded really good in the MA12000; PS Audio had a discount promotion on their Stellar phonostages. It was difficult  to tell the difference…the separate phonostage added a little more “depth” at the bottom end, but very little else compared the the MM/MC input on the MA12000. Again, this integrated does everything well and some exceptional well, really no weak areas except it is really heavy ( a two person lift) & big in size.
The D2 card I have not compared side by side yet with a separate Dac. I am looking for a good streamer, currently using the Bluenode which is great for what it does at the pricepoint. Last week I did a lessoning session/audition with the Aurender N20 with a Berkley Alpha 3 Dac = I found my streamer! I think my best path is to go with the Aurender streamer and use it with the MA12000/D2 & add a separate Dac down the road – if needed; D3 may be out by then?  I feel the DAC world will only improve and hopefully the price-points drop…the MSB discrete has positive reviews but at 12K…I can wait. I like the company philosophies of Chord & Schitts and their Dac builds….if a decent used price comes up, may get that to compare with the D2 card.

You will be very happy with the newer McIntosh integrated! 
 

In my travels, with my Mac 8950, the only DAC I’ve heard that made me say WOW was my amp with an MSB Discrete.  But as just previously stated, that’s a bunch of money (12k).  I do believe that the MSB is a dac streamer BTW.